‘Contribute with a political perspective,’ Beijing’s top man in Hong Kong says

Hong Kong business leaders and politicians should remain vigilant to risks and make more contributions to national development through “political and holistic perspectives”, Beijing’s top representative in the city has said.

Zheng Yanxiong, head of Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong, told the political and business leaders who were attending a seminar on Monday to study the “spirit” of China’s annual parliamentary meetings, known as the “two sessions”.

“The two sessions made a series of major arrangements for the country’s work in various fields, providing clear guidance for Hong Kong to better play its role in the process of China’s modernisation,” Zheng’s office quoted him as saying.

Zheng said it was essential “to grasp Hong Kong’s role, direction and responsibility through a political and holistic perspective and fulfil our responsibilities and obligations.”

The liaison office said it was one of the six points Zheng underlined to understand the two sessions’ spirit. The attendees included leaders of Chinese enterprises, Hong Kong deputies to the National People’s Congress (NPC) and members of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Beijing held the two sessions earlier this month, during which members of the NPC and CPPCC discussed plans for key national policies.

The seminar was held after pro-Beijing publication Ta Kung Pao criticised Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison’s Panama Canal port deal in its commentaries, describing it as a “betrayal of all Chinese people” and questioning the company’s loyalty.